Will Miss #7 - weird vending machines

During my time in Japan, I've seen some pretty strange things sold in vending machines. From warm bread in a can to umbrellas to condoms and sex toys, you run across some very strange things which can be purchased by putting coins or bills in slots. The odd machines are fascinating.

I'll miss the strange things I occasionally find in vending machines.

Won't Miss #7 - urban ugliness

Most people who see pictures from Japan see only the good stuff, but the truth is that most neighborhoods are really ugly. Tokyo is one of the most poorly designed and aesthetically unappealing cities in the world. It's full of ugly concrete boxes for the most part. Unless you're a tourist or make an effort to hit beautiful spots in your free time, your time in Japan is mainly going to be filled with dingy, ugly streets full of cheaply constructed buildings.

I won't miss the ugly, boxy concrete jungle.

Will Miss #6 - welcome cats (maneki neko)

When I first arrived in Japan, I loved seeing the statues and figures of cats beckoning to customers to welcome them into the establishment. The statues are cute, but not painfully, annoyingly cute. The standard statue design is both impassive and oddly warm.

While I've grown so used to them that they feel mundane, I think I'll miss them when I leave.

Won't Miss #6 - overpriced imports

There are actually a lot of imports in Tokyo these days. From fabric softener to food to paper products, you can get a vast array of items from abroad. Unfortunately, most of the treats and trinkets from home are two to three times (or more) as expensive in Japan as they would be back home. I understand that importing costs more, but there is a huge mark-up on such goods, particularly when you consider that they are cheaper in their country of origin than similar products made in Japan.

I won't miss the high cost of getting stuff which reminds me of home.

Will Miss #5 - funky shop names

There are a great many shop names with nonsensical English (or katakana English) names. We're never sure if they make their mismatched choices intentionally or if it's just the whim of the owner because he likes the sound of the English. Either way, these are always good for a chuckle.

I'll miss the number of shops with funny names.

Won't Miss #5 - police harrasssment

The police in Japan have broad and vaguely defined powers. The laws are sometimes intentionally contradictory to allow the police to act in an arbitrary fashion should they choose to do so. The police routinely target foreigners for (not so) random bicycle theft and identification checks and also search the baggage (backpacks, briefcases, handbags, etc.) of both Japanese and foreign people alike at big traffic areas for knives or other weapons in an overreaction to the random stabbings which have occurred with increasing frequency in Japan. Lately, they've also been drug testing foreigners without cause.

I won't miss being at the mercy of a police force that doesn't have to respect the rights of its citizens and non-citizens.

Will Miss #4 - courier services

Courier services (aka takkyubin) in Tokyo are awesome. If one orders from Amazon Japan, it's not uncommon for orders to arrive the next day. You can also easily send anything via takkyubin by taking it to a big chain convenience store. If all of that weren't cool enough, it's also very reasonably priced.

I'm going to miss the speed, professionalism and low price of the courier services.

Won't Miss #4 - going to immigration

Going to the immigration office in Tokyo is always stressful, tiresome, and time-consuming. You have to wait at least an hour and go twice. If you're in the area which requires you to go to the main immigration office, you also have to travel into the middle of nowhere. If you're "lucky", the trip will "only" cost you three hours. What's worse, there's always a sense that you could be rejected and your life as you know it could completely fall apart because you are refused permission to remain here.

I won't miss visiting the immigration office to get my visa renewed.

Will Miss #3 - my landlord

My husband and I hit the jackpot apartment-wise when we moved to Japan. Our landlord and his wife live next door and are unfailingly polite, helpful, and do their best to accommodate our needs whenever we have a change or repair. They also respect our privacy meticulously. He speaks English quite well which has put all of our negotiations for rent contract renewal on our terms linguistically rather than his. We've lived in the same place for 20 years in large part because our landlord is so great.

I will miss having such a kind, helpful and supportive landlord.

Won't Miss #3 - rude older men

Some older men in Tokyo navigate the crowded city as if everyone except other older men must yield to them in a variety of ways. Some of them walk head-on into packed crowds and expect everyone to get out of their way, sit on trains with legs spread wide open (taking up a disproportionate amount of space), and will bang or bump intentionally and unapologetically into you in shops if you are even partially in their path because they believe they have the right of way at all times.

I won't miss the portion of the population of older men who rudely walk around as if they were entitled to have their way at all times.

Will Miss #2 - the herd mentality

When you are a part of a large group of people waiting to partake of something new or popular, it adds to the excitement and sense of triumphant acquisition when you finally achieve your goal. Walking into Krispy Kreme and buying a donut is a hum-drum event. Waiting with a lot of people who are keen to have one for an hour or more adds to the atmosphere of anticipation and novelty.

I will miss how mundane things can seem special because people will invest so much time and effort in achieving them.

Won't Miss #2 - the herd mentality

When something becomes very popular in Japan, people tend to flock to it and huge lines are the result. That means that if you are curious about something or genuinely like it, you have to wait a very long time in a line (sometimes for hours) to sample a popular food or service.

I won't miss waiting in long lines just to try something new or popular.